Several classes were still to be decided as the KNC Groundworks Scottish Rally Championship headed to the final round, the Carlisle Stages Rally.
Class C1
Lochlan McIver & Cameron Morrison had been given the dubious honour of running 1st on the road and had been given strict orders to keep it on the road on the very slippery opening stage. With only 72 horsepower they were finding these fast stages to be hard work but kept it on the road to take 29th overall and the C1 title. Lochlan is now planning a rebuild over the winter and, if all goes well, a new engine will be finding its way into the car.
Class C2
Owen Macleod just needed a start to guarantee the C2 title. After another battle to get a working engine into the car for the event Owen & co-driver Ricky Finlayson were amazed that it held together for the whole event. Despite sounding unhappy and needing nursing it ran well enough for them to catch and pass a couple of other cars during the day on the way to 22nd overall.
Class C5
Jordan Anderson headed into this event needing a finish to take the Groundwater Lift Trucks Subaru Cup title. With Harry Stubbs alongside as normal, they enjoyed the slippy conditions, sliding the Impreza around in good style despite a misfire. 16th overall, the Cup driver’s title and the C5 win made it a solid end to the season.
Class M3
Meghan & John O’Kane headed into this round with Meghan embroiled in a big battle for the Ladies driver’s title. The morning loop saw them visit 2 ditches, one by themselves and one to pass another competitor. On it all day once again the Fiesta crew finished 21st overall and Meghan wrapped up her 1st Scottish Ladies driver’s title.
Class M4
John Crawford headed into this round needing an Autoshop 2wd win to take the 2wd driver’s title. Playing 2nd fiddle to M4 rivals Paddy Munro & Dave O’Brien early on, John & co-driver Ashleigh Will inherited the lead when Paddy stalled at a hairpin in stage 3. After that they held it together all the way to the finish with a clean drive to take both the 2-wheel drive and class M4 wins.
Class M5
David Wilson & Kerrie MacGillivray quickly discovered that their gearbox had lost 6th gear. Carrying on with 5, their perseverance with the BMW Compact was finally starting to pay off, taking the M5 win. A solid run with plenty more performance to come was just what they needed after a difficult season.
Class M6
Johnnie Mackay needed a good run on this event to wrap up the M6 title. With Rachel Matheson back in the hotseat they were running well despite Johnnie being concerned about how warm the engine was getting on the 1st loop. Thankfully their bad SRC luck didn’t strike this time and they took 13th overall to guarantee Johnnie the M6 driver’s title.
Class H1
David McLeod & Eamonn Boyle had burned the midnight oil to repair the Sunbeam after its argument with the infamous Galloway Hills bridge. Starting the day with a strong chance of the H1 title, that task was made easier when Stuart Egglestone & Brian Hodgson retired with engine issues. Taking it relatively easy to make sure of the finish they needed the Sunbeam ran strongly to 20th overall to take the H1 title.
Class H2
Donald Peacock & Mairi Riddick started the day in a battle for the H2 title with Jim Robertson & Mike Curry. The opening loop they were re-visited by their almost permanent window wiper issues, but Donald had engineered a solution this time out: he’d given Mairi a 13 mil spanner. The afternoon things dried out and they had an excellent run to the H2 win and 17th overall. Now Donald’s attention turns to November’s Roger Albert Clark Rally.
images courtesy of AF Motorsport Media
